Cost based on attitude - Good idea?

[Tricia]

Saw this article about a coffee shop owner who created a pricing structure based on the customer's approach.
I can imagine that people started seeing a different vibe when they started saving $ on their cup of coffee.

 

[Cheizz]

This is very much seen from the coffee shop employee's perspective. Are customers there to be nice to him/her, or the other way around?

For me, a consumer, I would be tempted to pay more depending on how good and nice I was treated by those who served me my coffee:

Silent and efficient: $ 2.00
Wil a smile: $ 3.00
With a smile and a 'Hello, how are you today?': $ 4.00

$ 5.00 for a coffee seems ridiculously expensive to me. But hey, I'm a € 0.80 Italian espresso kind of guy...

 

[Monique]

So, I always do the second and third form, anyway. I strongly believe in treating everyone like a full person, not a service. But to be honest, when I see a sign like that, I feel rebellious. It turns being nice into following orders. And doesn't take facial expressions into account. I also think some of it is cultural. When we're at a restaurant, my husband says, "I'll have the ...." I would never say this. I say, "Could I please have .... ?" Don't know if that's gendered or what.

 

[scott43]

When the late great David Niven died apparently the largest flower arrangement was from the baggage porters at Heathrow..they said nobody made a low man feel like a king more than Mr. Niven. That's pretty cool.

 

[Crank]

We were in the British Virgin Islands last month and if you want decent service you say good morning how are you, etc... very polite and friendly but no tolerance for being rushed or at all rude.

 

[Mendieta]

This is very much seen from the coffee shop employee's perspective. Are customers there to be nice to him/her, or the other way around?

For me, a consumer, I would be tempted to pay more depending on how good and nice I was treated by those who served me my coffee:

Silent and efficient: $ 2.00
Wil a smile: $ 3.00
With a smile and a 'Hello, how are you today?': $ 4.00

$ 5.00 for a coffee seems ridiculously expensive to me. But hey, I'm a € 0.80 Italian espresso kind of guy...

Yes my friend, we call that a tip, no?

Hopefully the place has a tip jar, so you save 2 bucks because of your attitude, and then you put them back because of theirs. We are all happy. It's only money

We do our groceries at a family owned local place. Everythigs costs a little more, but the employees are well paid and happy. There is a great vibe. We are more than happy to support that.

 

[Tricia]

@Cheizz I agree. It goes both ways.

My hope is that the price structure created a friendly atmosphere on both sides of the counter.

 

[Bill Talbot]

It may be worse than what hotels do. Four folks check in for the 'same room' and each pays a different rate. Or airline flights or cars or...One price for one product.
So now asking 'for a coffee' isn't enough??? I'm not talking about being rude here, just asking for what you want.

 

[Lauren]

Reminds me of when I studied abroad in college. I was in Hungary and I was learning the Hungarian language (very slowly...it's tough!). I knew the 6 most basic needs, "Hello", "Goodbye", "Thank you", "Excuse me", "Large coffee" and "Beer".

I went up to a bar one night and just said "One beer", in Hungarian in my thick American accent. The bartender turned to me, asked in English "where are you from?". I politely answered, realizing he speaks perfect English. And he asked "Is that how you order a beer there?!"...He proceeded to teach me how to properly order a beer, by saying "I would like a beer, please"...I was very grateful for this guy for taking a moment to teach me how to be polite!

 

[graham418]

Little social niceties are the grease that allow us all to move smoothly throughout our lives. Its unfortunate that ,in our ever accelerating trajectories , that some among us forget that.

 

[Monique]

Little social niceties are the grease that allow us all to move smoothly throughout our lives. Its unfortunate that ,in our ever accelerating trajectories , that some among us forget that.

Miss Manners would say that two wrongs don't make a right - well, she wouldn't say it that way, but she'd say that someone being rude to you is no justification for being rude back, which includes lecturing them on manners. Which is what this sign feels like to me.

Again, I try to always be courteous and friendly when talking to people working at stores - but I think if I came across a shop I didn't know that had this sign, I'd look for a different shop.

 

[fatbob]

One of the things that the US is best known for in the service industries is fake sincerity - the "Have a nice day!"catchphrase. I recently was offered it by an Indian IT support desk who having failed to resolve my problem and confirmed I had no functioning email for the day until something was rebooted on the network at an unspecified future point in time then reflexively said " Have a great day!" as a sign off. I somewhat grumpily caught them and pointed out that it was hardly likely being denied a key work tool for many hours.

Re the coffee schtick - yes it's kinda cute to be reminded to be human sometimes but it's also possible to be patronising: I doubt many people are going in and saying "coffee bitch!" rather they are intending to be concise because it is a high throughput transaction or are simply distracted/aspergers/male.

 

[Monique]

Re the coffee schtick - yes it's kinda cute to be reminded to be human sometimes but it's also possible to be patronising: I doubt many people are going in and saying "coffee bitch!" rather they are intending to be concise because it is a high throughput transaction or are simply distracted/aspergers/male.

There are definitely times when being chatty slows down the line. Also there are plenty of rude baristas ...

 

[fatbob]

There are definitely times when being chatty slows down the line. Also there are plenty of rude baristas ...

Yup the only thing that aggravates me more than the life story chat when in a longish line is the customer who is surprised at the end of the transaction that they need to furnish payment and only then start fishing in purses etc. One reason to be grateful for Apple/Android pay.

 

[va_deb]

I think that working as a waitress or waiter or fast food or pizza delivery or retail employee -- anything along those lines -- should be mandatory for everyone for at least a year.

 

[Tricia]

One of the things that the US is best known for in the service industries is fake sincerity - the "Have a nice day!"catchphrase. I recently was offered it by an Indian IT support desk who having failed to resolve my problem and confirmed I had no functioning email for the day until something was rebooted on the network at an unspecified future point in time then reflexively said " Have a great day!" as a sign off. I somewhat grumpily caught them and pointed out that it was hardly likely being denied a key work tool for many hours.

Re the coffee schtick - yes it's kinda cute to be reminded to be human sometimes but it's also possible to be patronising: I doubt many people are going in and saying "coffee bitch!" rather they are intending to be concise because it is a high throughput transaction or are simply distracted/aspergers/male.

I wonder if it works when the person says,

 

[Tricia]

In other news about service.
Here is an idea for a pop up restaurant where you expect to be served the wrong item.
The Restaurant of Order Mistakes

The premise of the pop-up restaurant, which was in a trial period from June 2 – June 4, 2017, was that the staff who have dementia may get your order wrong. But if you go in knowing this upfront, it changes your perception about those who suffer from brain disease. The experience makes you realize that with a little bit of understanding on our part dementia patients can be functioning members of society.

 

[Mike Thomas]

In other news about service.
Here is an idea for a pop up restaurant where you expect to be served the wrong item.
The Restaurant of Order Mistakes

The premise of the pop-up restaurant, which was in a trial period from June 2 – June 4, 2017, was that the staff who have dementia may get your order wrong. But if you go in knowing this upfront, it changes your perception about those who suffer from brain disease. The experience makes you realize that with a little bit of understanding on our part dementia patients can be functioning members of society.

... that seems to prove otherwise, no?

 

[VickiK]

So, I always do the second and third form, anyway. I strongly believe in treating everyone like a full person, not a service. But to be honest, when I see a sign like that, I feel rebellious. It turns being nice into following orders. And doesn't take facial expressions into account. I also think some of it is cultural. When we're at a restaurant, my husband says, "I'll have the ...." I would never say this. I say, "Could I please have .... ?" Don't know if that's gendered or what.

Not gendered, IMHO. I sometimes say the "I'll have the...". Btw, I hate being corrected in public, as if I'm a child or my manners are sub-standard. If they are, tell me nicely in hopes of getting me to adopt different phrasing, or just deal with it.

 

[Tricia]

Don't you think that places like Starbucks have trained the general public to place an order without the polite approach.

1/2 caf, non fat, latte, no foam.

Then there's the pizza joint.
Cheese pie, garlic knots.

And the soup nazi.
No soup for you!